Run the local demo

The local stack includes Alcarta, PostgreSQL, Redis, and a deliberately fake GreenMail account. It is the fastest way to see the complete flow without using a real mailbox credential.

Start the stack

From the application repository:

docker compose up -d --wait

Open http://localhost:8080.

Create your account

1. Sign up with any local-only email address and password.

2. Find the verification link in the gateway log:

   docker compose logs gateway | grep verify

3. Open the link. Verification unlocks mailbox, agent, and grant creation.

4. Complete the mock billing step. The local demo does not contact a payment provider.

Add the bundled mailbox

Go to Mailboxes → Add a mailbox and enter:

Field	Value
Display name	demo
Address	demo@local.test
Login name	demo
Backend	IMAP + SMTP
IMAP host / port / TLS	greenmail / 3993 / implicit
SMTP host / port / TLS	greenmail / 3465 / implicit
Authentication	password

Save the mailbox, then store a password credential with secret demo-password. Alcarta encrypts it before writing it and never shows it again.

Select Test connection. A successful test discovers the provider folders and changes the mailbox state to active.

Do not use real credentials in this stack

The demo permits its fixture’s self-signed certificate through GW_MAIL_ALLOW_INSECURE=true. That setting exists only for local fixtures and is refused in production.

Connect an agent

Create an agent, grant it the operator role on the demo mailbox, and mint a token. The token is shown once. Continue with Create an agent to connect through MCP or REST.

Remove local data

When you intentionally want to delete the demo database, keys, and mail data:

docker compose down -v

This is destructive and cannot be undone.